Leading up to the end of the year, Revolver has asked some of our favorite artists to pick their Top Albums of 2012 and tell us why each record rules. Here, Sean Parkinson (pictured left), guitarist of the heavy-metal band West of Hell, selects his faves.
5. 3 Inches of Blood, Long Live Heavy Metal
“These guys are awesome. Tight sound on this record. They have a ‘good times’ vibe throughout, with classic riffing. Nods to their heroes like Dio, Thin Lizzy, and Maiden are cool. Manowar couldn’t have come up with a better title themselves.”
4. Testament, Dark Roots of Earth
“Testament are thrash-metal legends. This album is an inspiring piece of work. If you’re a Testament fan, you love this. If you’re a thrash fan, you love this. If you don’t love this, go away.”
3. West of Hell, Spiral Empire
“Well, I gotta pick this one! Not just because it’s my album, but OK, mainly because it’s my album! I’m stoked this is out and that we are working on the next one now. This album is great because it represents years of hard work and determination from a band that shifted to the other side of the planet just to be able to complete the lineup.”
2. Sinate, To the Death
“OK, again, not just picking this one because I used to be in this band. I was stoked when I got my hands on this record. The usual heavy/catchy brand of thrash/death metal from the Sheppard brothers, but with a more mature feel. Awesome.”
1, Cannibal Corpse, Torture
“Same high production levels as the last couple of records with Erik Rutan at the helm. Same relentless, bludgeoning, classic death-metal songs. Same gory artwork. There’s just something about keeping things consistent. Love Cannibal Corpse. Love this album.”
Leading up to the end of the year, Revolver has asked some of our favorite artists to pick their Top Albums of 2012 and tell us why each record rules. Here, Cam Pipes (pictured left), vocalist of the power-metal band 3 Inches of Blood, selects his faves.
5. Overkill, The Electric Age
“Even after 20 or so albums, these veterans can still deliver a thrash album that puts a majority of the young buck thrash revival bands to shame. We just did a tour with them in Europe and they are not slowing down.”
4. Bison b.c., Lovelessness
“Bison b.c. stand out from the pack of all the sludgy, doomy bands out there. They are growing with each record because there’s some intangible quality that makes their riffs just that much more punishing than their peers.”
3. Accept, Stalingrad
“The last Accept album was, to me, a shockingly good return after such a long hiatus. Stalingrad continues to show why Accept still are an important band in the metal scene. As long as they keep putting out albums, I expect they will all be great.”
2. Goatwhore, Blood for the Master
“Blood for the Master is crushing as all hell. Unrelenting in its delivery. These guys never let up.”
1. Enslaved, RIITIIR
“I’m such a huge fan of this band. Every time Enslaved release a new record it makes the top of my list for the year. They’re one of the few band I expect to put out a fantastic album every time and they never let me down.”
The tour kicks off November 30, and tickets are on sale now.
For more information, visit 3 Inches of Blood’s Facebook page. Also check out Huntress on Facebook and Hookers.
Check out all the dates below:
11/30 – Bellingham, WA – Wild Buffalo *
12/1 – Tacoma, WA – The Loch’s
12/3 – S. Lake Tahoe, CA – Whisky Dick’s
12/4 – San Francisco, CA – Thee Parkside
12/5 – San Diego, CA – Ramona Mainstage
12/6 – Tempe, AZ – 910 Live
12/7 – Las Vegas – Cheyenne Saloon
12/8 – Santa Ana, CA – Unit B Studio
12/9 – Fullerton, CA – Slidebar
12/10 – Long Beac, CA – Di Piazza’s
12/11 – West Hollywood – The Whisky
12/12 – Santa Cruz, CA – The Catalyst
12/13 – Reno, NV – The Alley
12/15 – Seattle, WA – El Corazon
* No Huntress
Today marks the two-year anniversary of the death of the legendary Ronnie James Dio.
A variety of Dio tributes have been paid from all around the metal community, and Canadian metal band 3 Inches of Blood decided to pay homage by releasing a special lyric video for their song “Look Out,” off their latest album, Long Live Heavy Metal.
The track was written as a tribute to Dio and, according to vocalist Cam Pipes, wasn’t an easy song to write.
“It was hard to find the right words for a song honoring Ronnie James Dio, but I hope it is regarded as a fitting tribute to a legendary figure,” he said. “His impact on the metal community will last forever, and though he may have been small in stature, his contribution to the music scene is larger than most will ever achieve.”
Long Live Heavy Metal is out now on Century Media.
The new issue of Revolver, featuring Marilyn Manson on the cover, is now available at newsstands everywhere. You can also buy the issue online here or get it for your iPad/iPhone/iTouch here.
In the cover story, we visit Manson at his new home to look ahead to his forthcoming album, Born Villain, and back at 15 years of Antichrist Superstar.
The issue contains a preview of the 2012 Revolver Golden Gods Awards, featuring live performances by Manson, Evanescence, Slash, Black Veil Brides, and more!
It also features stories on:
- Lamb of God
- Ministry
- Cannibal Corpse
- Shinedown
- Meshuggah
- A Day to Remember interviewing Blink 182
- Asking Alexandria and the Ultimate Warrior
- Kill Devil Hill
- Narrows
- Terrorizer
- Wino
- The movie Silent House
- Skateboarder Chris Cole
- Goatwhore
- 3 Inches of Blood
Canadian metallers 3 Inches of Blood will be dropping their new album, Long Live Heavy Metal, on March 27. The record is the band’s follow-up to 2009′s Here Waits Thy Doom.
“Long Live Heavy Metal is the fifth chapter in the book of 3 Inches of Blood, and we couldn’t be more pleased and proud of our new onslaught of honest heavy metal,” says guitarist Justin Hagberg.
Vocalist Cam Pipes has similar feelings about the quality and significance of the record. “When a band is releasing a new record, they often speak about it being their most important work or best album to date,” says Pipes. “Regardless of how clichéd either statement may sound, I think we would say both apply to this album. All of us have a special feeling about this one. We’re more committed than ever to the cause of real, honest, no-bullshit heavy metal. No trends, no fucking around!”
3 Inches of Blood will be heading out on the Metal Alliance tour–beginning in March–with DevilDriver, Dying Fetus, the Faceless, Job for a Cowboy, Impending Doom, and Wretched. Dates below.
Metal Alliance Tour dates:
03/15 Austin, TX, SXSW / Scoot Inn
03/16 New Orleans, LA, The Hangar
03/17 St Petersburg, FL, State Theater
03/18 Charlotte, NC, Amos’ Southend
03/20 Baltimore, MD, Sonar
03/21 New York, NY, Gramercy Theater
03/22 Danvers, MA, Palace Ballroom
03/23 Montreal, QC, Le National
03/24 Toronto, ON, Opera House
03/25 Columbus, OH, Alrosa Villa
03/26 Joliet, IL, Mojoe’s
03/27 St Paul, MN, Station-4
03/28 Winnipeg, MB, Garrick Centre
03/29 Regina, SK, Riddell Centre
03/30 Edmonton, AB, Edmonton Events Centre
03/31 Vancouver, BC, Rickshaw Theater
04/01 Seattle, WA, Studio Seven
04/02 Portland, OR, Hawthorne Theater
04/05 Oakland, CA, The Pound
04/06 Hollywood, CA, The Music Box
04/07 Tempe, AZ, Marquee Theater
04/09 Denver, CO, The Summit Music Hall
04/10 Omaha, NE, Sokol Auditorium
04/11 Des Moines, IA, 7 Flags Event Center
04/13 Memphis, TN, New Daisy Theater
04/15 Lawrence, KS, Granada Theater
04/16 Tulsa, OK, Cain’s Ballroom
04/19 Dallas, TX, House Of Blues
04/20 Austin, TX, Emo’s East
04/21 Houston, TX, House Of Blues
DevilDriver will headline next year’s, Revolver-sponsored, Metal Alliance Tour. The trek across North America kicks off next March, with Dying Fetus, the Faceless, Job for a Cowboy, 3 Inches of Blood, Impending Doom, and Wretched also set to appear.
DevilDriver released their latest album, Beast, earlier this year, while Dying Fetus are currently in the studio recording a new album, titled Reign Supreme, which is set for release mid-2012.
Metal Alliance Tour dates:
03/15 Austin, TX, SXSW / Scoot Inn
03/16 New Orleans, LA, The Hangar
03/17 St Petersburg, FL, State Theater
03/18 Charlotte, NC, Amos’ Southend
03/20 Baltimore, MD, Sonar
03/21 New York, NY, Gramercy Theater
03/22 Danvers, MA, Palace Ballroom
03/23 Montreal, QC, Le National
03/24 Toronto, ON, Opera House
03/25 Columbus, OH, Alrosa Villa
03/26 Joliet, IL, Mojoe’s
03/27 St Paul, MN, Station-4
03/28 Winnipeg, MB, Garrick Centre
03/29 Regina, SK, Riddell Centre
03/30 Edmonton, AB, Edmonton Events Centre
03/31 Vancouver, BC, Rickshaw Theater
04/01 Seattle, WA, Studio Seven
04/02 Portland, OR, Hawthorne Theater
04/05 Oakland, CA, The Pound
04/06 Hollywood, CA, The Music Box
04/07 Tempe, AZ, Marquee Theater
04/09 Denver, CO, The Summit Music Hall
04/10 Omaha, NE, Sokol Auditorium
04/11 Des Moines, IA, 7 Flags Event Center
04/13 Memphis, TN, New Daisy Theater
04/15 Lawrence, KS, Granada Theater
04/16 Tulsa, OK, Cain’s Ballroom
04/19 Dallas, TX, House Of Blues
04/20 Austin, TX, Emo’s East
04/21 Houston, TX, House Of Blues
Chris “Shinsplints” Krovatin is the author of two young adult novels, Heavy Metal & You and Venomous. He is currently working on multiple new writing projects, as well as new material with his local New York metal band Flaming Tusk. He is a contributing writer for Revolver and generally comes off as a good-natured pain in everyone’s collective ass.
On Sunday, April 17, I went to see Skeletonwitch, who played with 3 Inches of Blood and Praetorian at the Gramercy Theatre in New York. Here’s what happened.
[futureusgallerycaption id="attachment_15215" align="alignleft" width="620" caption="Skeletonwitch"]
Average age of an audience member at Gramercy Theatre: 17.
Feelings on said age bracket: Positive. Good for the kids for supporting battle metal and death-thrash.
Strange venue alteration: Gramercy Theater cutting their seating in half and adding a new VIP section on the side of the stage.
Special crazy VIP treatment: Pay 10 bucks and you get to sit by the side of the stage and get discounted prices on Bud Light tall boys.
Price of a Bud Light tall boy with VIP discount: Nine bucks.
Other terms for Gramercy Theater pricing: Highway robbery, total bullshit, a Shakespearean fucking tragedy, ridiculous.
Coolest denim vest of the night: The big chubby dude with the Toxic Holocaust back patch. Badass.
Favorite line overheard while wandering through the crowd: “You’ve gotta understand, man, it all started with Immortal. They were, like, the first black-metal band ever.”
Piece of metal trivia: That is not true.
First up for the night: Praetorian from Long Island.
Sounds like: Grindy death metal with power-charged solos and keyboard flourishes throughout.
Crowd reaction: Reluctantly positive.
Estimated age of Praetorian bassist Eddie: 12.
Best track: Blackened shredder “Fallacy.”
Stage issue: Praetorian’s lead guitarist seems to really like running to center stage and vamping with his ax, but he needs to figure out how to do that without almost running over his lead singer.
Number of inches of blood it takes for someone to drown in it: 3.
Number of inches of soup it takes for someone to drown in it: …3? Probably?
And with that: 3 Inches of Blood from fucking Canada.
Sounds like: An armor-clad war-beast riding a dragon’s back as he swoops into Hell to do bloody battle with the Devil himself.
Awesome opener: “The Goatrider’s Horde.”
Much-loved charger: “Night Marauders.”
Much-anticipated B-side: “Destroy the Orcs.”
Combined hair length of 3 Inches Of Blood: Sixty miles.
Interesting stage banter choice: 3IoB vocalist Cam Pipes choosing to do half of his spoken pieces in his normal voice, the other half in his unholy Elmo-ish screech.
You heard me: Cam Pipes sounds like Elmo riding a tank through Hades. What of it?
And finally: Skeletonwitch from fucking Ohio.
Sounds like: Bathory and Aura Noir take a page from Pantera, then make the biggest bowl of chili you’ve ever seen.
Number of children that vocalist Chance Garnette’s beared eats daily: 6.
Ever seen a kid eaten by a beard: All that’s left behind is a skeletonwitch.
Favorite tracks of the night: “Upon Black Wings” and “Crushed Beyond Dust.”
How do you crush something beyond dust: Mortar and pestle, gotta warm your hands first.
Track sorely missed: “Vengeance Will Be Mine.”
Members of Skeletonwitch I’d rather not be punched by: All of them except Scunty D.
What, is he a pussy or something: No, it would simply be an honor to take a fist in the eye from one such as Scunty.
Number of Taquitos bought post-show at 7-11: Three.
Resulting intestinal drama: Let’s get say I had a bad case of the Night Marauders, if you get me.
Skeletonwitch photo: John Mourlas
]]>The Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Fest is in full effect, and if you've been to any of the dates already, we hope you've picked up the Official Tour Program at the Revolver booth. If you have, then you know we've included a Word Search at the end of it and are probably looking for the solution, which you will find right here. If you haven't been to Mayhem yet, but you just want a sneak peak at the Word Search so you can get the answers early and impress your friends, then you really, really need help.
